The proportion of women engaged in Afghanistan’s labor market has dramatically declined to just 5.1 percent in 2026, down from 16.5 percent in 2020, following the Taliban’s return to power five years ago, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) revealed. This sharp drop highlights the severe exclusion of women from economic activities under the current regime.
Meanwhile, male employment has expanded rapidly during the same period, underscoring a growing gender disparity in the workforce. Tite Habiyakare, senior coordinator and head of the ILO Office for Afghanistan, emphasized that the country cannot develop a resilient labor market while such a significant portion of its population remains economically sidelined.
The report attributes this decline primarily to Taliban-imposed restrictions that have limited women’s access to education and employment opportunities. Afghanistan now ranks as the country with the second-lowest female employment rate globally, trailing only Yemen.
In a notable development, the number of women-owned businesses has increased tenfold since the Taliban takeover. This surge is largely driven by women’s exclusion from many traditional professions, prompting them to create their own entrepreneurial ventures, the United Nations Development Programme.
Overall employment in Afghanistan rose by 14 percent from a low point in 2022, reaching 8.5 million workers in 2026. However, this growth has not kept pace with the country’s rapid population increase, which has been fueled by the return of large numbers of Afghans from neighboring countries such as Pakistan.
